Hook and eye type fastener

ABSTRACT

The fastener consists of interlocking hook and eye elements. The eye element comprises a closed loop of resilient wire. The loop is intended to form merging curved and stepped formations to provide an end portion which is secured to the fabric, and intermediate portion and an eye. The loop is further indented at the junction of the intermediate portion and eye to provide an opening of a given dimension. The hook element is also a closed loop having an end portion to be secured to the fabric, a neck portion slightly larger than the opening in the eye element, and a hook which can pass through the intermediate portion. The edge of the eye is angularly bent to the extent of the diameter of the wire. The neck is indented to a depth equal to the diameter of the wire. To close the fastener, the hook is inserted within the intermediate portion, and upon the closing movement, the neck spreads the opening to permit the neck and the hook to pass into the eye. The opening returns to its initial dimension, thereby retaining the parts in closed position. In the closed position, the bent edge lies within the indentation to permit the alignment of the elements to present a flat closure.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Franz Gottfried Stolberg-Dorff,Germany [21 Appl. No. 805,256 [22] Filed Mar. 7, 1969 [45] Patented May4, 1971 [73] Assignee Firma Kurt Dorpinghaus Huckeswagen, Germany [32]Priority Mar. 8, 1968 [33] Germany [31] B37699 [54] HOOK AND EYE TYPEFASTENER 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figs.

[ [5 1 [50] Field of Search 24/228, 229

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 489,053 1/1893 Wedmore706,304 8/ 1902 Devine 845,748 3/1907 Bosche 909,554 1/1909 CorthellPrimary Examiner-John Petrakes AttorneyAbraham A. Saffitz ABSTRACT: Thefastener consists of interlocking hook and eye elements. The eye elementcomprises a closed loop of resilient wire. The loop is intended to formmerging curved and stepped formations to provide an end portion which issecured to the fabric, and intermediate portion and an eye. The loop isfurther indented at the junction of the intermediate portion and eye toprovide an opening of a given dimension. The hook element is also aclosed loop having an end portion to be secured to the fabric, a neckportion slightly larger than the opening in the eye element, and a hookwhich can pass through the intermediate portion. The edge of the eye isangularly bent to the extent of the diameter of the wire. The neck isindented to a depth equal to the diameter of the wire. To close thefastener, the hook is inserted within the intermediate portion, and uponthe closing movement, the neck spreads the opening to permit the neckand the hook to pass into the eye. The opening returns to its initialdimension, thereby retaining the parts in closed position. In the closedposition, the bent edge lies within the indentation to permit thealignment of the elements to present a flat closure.

mm 412m 3577.609

i/ mvsmoa FRANZ commsn FIG. 6

BY MW ATTORNEY l 11K AND EYE TYPE FASTENER portions forming one or twocircular openings through which the thread passes to fasten theseelements to the fabric. The elements further comprise interengaging hookand eye portions, but do not interlock in a manner to resistunintentional separation.

The above construction often results in bent and twisted fastenerelements, which do not provide a flat and inconspicuous closure. Sincethe elements do not interengage in a locking manner, there is a tendencyfor the paired elements to unintentionally separate and form open gapsin the closure.

An object of this invention is to provide a hook and eye fastener,wherein the hook and eye elements interlock to resist unintentionalseparating forces.

A further object is to provide fastening elements of the hook and eyetype wherein each element is formed as a single closed loop havingfabric-securing portions and interlocking portions. The interlockingportions are so formed as to cooperate to reduce the overall thicknessof the fastener when in closed position.

Another object is to provide a hook and eye fastener fabricated fromwire wherein one element resiliently maintains the other element in itsclosed interengaging position, without the necessity of providing pointsof weakness or deformation of the material from which the elements areformed to provide the above resiliency.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawing, wherein:

P16. 1 is a plan view of the eye element of the fastener;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the eye element;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the hook element of the fastener;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hook element;

FlG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the fastener, taken on section line5-5 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the fastener in a closed position, showing thehook and eye elements in their interlocking position.

H0. 1 shows the eye element 1 fonned of resilient wire 2. Otherresilient material, such as certain plastics, may be used, but wire ispreferred. The wire 2 is shaped to form an irregular, somewhattriangular, closed loop comprising a straight long longitudinalfabric-securing portion 3, an intermediate curved, generally convergingportion 4 which is shorter than the long portion 3, and an interlockingportion forming eye 6 which is shorter than the intermediate portion 4and which has a slightly narrowed portion it) behind the bent outermostedge of portion 6. As will be noted from FIG. 1, the above portions areconstituted by the wire loop and the merging areas within the loop.Portions 3, 4 and 6 are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the eye element so that eye 6 is at the apex of the triangularloop. The loop is formed of resilient wire stock and comprises straightand smoothly curved converging sections, and it is closed at point 7 inportion 3. The eye element is fastened to the fabric 8 by securing theloop wire of portion 3 to the fabric, as by sewing. The eye element maybe covered by a fly structure, or by any other means well known in thesewing art so that only portions 4 and 6 are accessible.

Where intermediate portion 4 merges into eye 6, the wire is indented ornarrowed to form an opening 9 of dimension 10. The wire at the outeredge of eye 6 is bent to present an upstanding edge 12, which isangularly related to the plane of the loop, and its length issubstantially equal to the diameter of the wire.

FIG. 3 discloses the hook element 13. Hook element 13 is fabricated ofwire, and is shaped to form a closed loop having a fabric-securingportion 14, a portion forming a neck 15. and an end portion forming ahook 16. As in eye element 2, the above portions of the loop aresymmetrical to the longitudinal axis of the loop. The loop is formed bymerging straight and smoothly curved portions of the wire whereby nosharp edges are present. The loop is closed at point 17.

A portion of neck 15 is upset to form an indentation 19 having a depthsubstantially equal to the diameter of the wire.

Neck 15 is of a dimension 21 which is slightly larger than dimension 10of opening 9.

Hook element 13 is secured to fabric 8 in the same manner as describedin connection with eye element 1.

To use elements 1 and 2 to form a fastener for fabric 8, hook 16 isplaced within intermediate portion 4 of eye element 1, and a relativepulling force is applied to either or both elements. Dimension 21 ofneck 15 is slightly larger than dimension 10 of opening 9, but due tothe resiliency of the wire forming the loop, opening 15 is forced toopen to permit movement by neck 15 and hook 16 into eye 6, whereby thefastener assumes the closed position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The smallerdimension 10 of opening 9 lockingly retains neck and hook 15 and 16within the eye. Thus, the above structure provides an interlockingrelationship between the hook and eye which prevents unintentionalopening of the fastener.

in the locked position, as shown in FIG. 5, edge 12 lies within groove19 permitting elements land 13 to assume a more aligned position than ifmeans 12 and 19 were omitted. The provision of means 12 and 19 resultsin a flat, smooth closure of the fabric edges.

To open the fastener, elements 1 and 13 are pushed towards each other.Neck 15 is forced out of narrower opening 9 in view of the inherentresiliency of the wire loop.

' Since each of the elements ii and 13 comprise a closed-loop formation,with smoothly curved portions and without sharp edges or exposed ends ofthe wire, there is no catching of the fabric or undue wear on thefabric. in view of the novel construction of the hook and eyeformations, the closing and opening movements require simple pulling andpushing motions. Due to the dimensions of opening 9 and neck 15, theelements are positively interlocked in the closed position, wherebyunintentional opening is prevented.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed forpurpose of illustration, it will be evident that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention.

lclaim:

1. A fastener which provides a flat, inconspicuous closure for adjacentedges of separate panels of flexible fabric material comprising:

a. a closed loop eye element having a long longitudinal fabric-securingportion for one fabric edge and an interlocking eye portion whichprojects outwardly;

b. a closed loop hook element cooperating with said eye element andhaving a long longitudinal fabric-securing portion for the other fabricedge and an intermediate hook portion which projects outwardly tocooperate with said interlocking eye portion;

c. the outermost edge of said interlocking eye portion being short andbeing bent angularly and upwardly out of the plane of the eye elementand of the fabric for a distance substantially equal to the thickness ofthe fabric;

. said interlocking eye portion having a slightly narrowed portionbehind the bent outermost edge;

e. said intermediate hook portion being short and being indentedinwardly and downwardly to form a neck portion,

the depth of the indentation being substantially equal to the thicknessof the material of the fabric;

f. said eye element having an intermediate portion of generallytriangular configuration with smoothly curving, generally convergingsides, said intermediate portion lyingin the plane of the longitudinalfabric-securing portion and between said fabric-securing portion andsaid interlocking eye portion, said intermediate portion being longerthan the interlocking eye portion and shorter than the fabric-securingportion, whereby the smoothly converging sides accommodate the insertionof the intermediate hook portion of the hook element so that, byturning, sliding and thereafter pulling the intermediate hook portioninto the narrowed portion of the interlocking eye portion, the indentedneck portion of the element unlocks from the eye element without anycatching of the fabric.

1. A fastener which provides a flat, inconspicuous closure for adjacentedges of separate panels of flexible fabric material comprising: a. aclosed loop eye element having a long longitudinal fabricsecuringportion for one fabric edge and an interlocking eye portion whichprojects outwardly; b. a closed loop hook element cooperating with saideye element and having a long longitudinal fabric-securing portion forthe other fabric edge and an intermediate hook portion which projectsoutwardly to cooperate with said interlocking eye portion; c. theoutermost edge of said interlocking eye portion being short and beingbent angularly and upwardly out of the plane of the eye element and ofthe fabric for a distance substantially equal to the thickness of thefabric; d. said interlocking eye portion having a slightly narrowedportion behind the bent outermost edge; e. said intermediate hookportion being short and being indented inwardly and downwardly to form aneck portion, the depth of the indentation being substantially equal tothe thickness of the material of the fabric; f. said eye element havingan intermediate portion of generally triangular configuration withsmoothly curving, generally converging sides, said intermediate portionlying in the plane of the longitudinal fabric-securing portion andbetween said fabric-securing portion and said interlocking eye portion,said intermediate portion being longer than the interlocking eye portionand shorter than the fabric-securing portion, whereby the smoothlyconverging sides accommodate the insertion of the intermediate hookportion of the hook element so that, by turning, sliding and thereafterpulling the intermediate hook portion into the narrowed portion of theinterlocking eye portion, the indented neck portion of the hook elementengages the upwardly bent outermost edge of the eye element, the shortintermediate hook portion acting as a stop, and, by turning and pushing,the hook element unlocks from the eye element without any catching ofthe fabric.